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Why I Tend Not To Post My Finds


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11 hours ago, F350Platinum said:

I changed the selection in the camera app in my Galaxy to not save location information. 👍

I just checked my photos and couldn't find any save location information. But that may be that I use a home based camera and not my phone. I have yet to understand my new phone so I won't even bother looking for that info on it 😄

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On 5/4/2022 at 3:22 PM, ☠ Cipher said:

Ideally I would love to share all my finds. In 10 years I’ve found a lot of nice things, and even some rare and valuable things. Inevitably once I post rare and valuable historical items I come under local pressure to donate them with the argument that “history belongs to us all.” There’s a part of me that agrees with that statement. There’s another part of me that thinks history belongs to those who seek it. I put in the work to seek it out and retrieve it, and I should be able to be the one to share it until I choose to pass it on how I see fit. We share our finds in part to share history with others in our own way. We become attached to those items and proudly display them. The last thing many of us want are entities laying claim to our finds, guilt tripping us or suggesting that it now belongs to everyone, and keeping it is somehow wrong. Yet this has happened to me enough times (never here) that I feel burned for sharing anything. I just wonder if any of you have had the same experience. It’s a kind of catch 22 where both arguments have merit. Regardless, I follow the law. There’s no crime here in holding on a valuable historical find. If it answers some kind of important question or fills in an important gap, then I’d err more on the side that it belongs to everyone. Either way we should have some time to enjoy the spoils. That’s my thought for the day.

I generally don't reply to people when they tell me to donate to a museum or historical society, but when pressed I have on occasion reminded them that museums and historical societies are private ventures. They may seem to be tied to towns or states, but they could sell those items or discard them if they had no room or interest in them, and you would not be able to say anything. Many of dumpsters located at bigger establishments have old collections thrown out because of lack of space, lack of museum quality items, staffing or conservator budgets. Many times a mediocre collection will be forever buried in an attic or closet, never to be seen. Chances are unless your item is rare or ties in heavily with local history, it would not be displayed, since they usually group artifacts by theme or event.  It is better in your hands than theirs.  

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14 hours ago, schoolofhardNox said:

I just checked my photos and couldn't find any save location information. But that may be that I use a home based camera and not my phone. I have yet to understand my new phone so I won't even bother looking for that info on it 😄

When out in the field turn off your location (GPS) on the phone before you take any pictures and that should do it. I have learned this the hard way...with a gold nugget patch. Some of us treasure hunters are real sneaky folks...

strick 

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18 hours ago, kac said: Most high value jewelry is usually insured so returning it the owner would be double dipping. Finders keepers.
🙂

My concern there is an insurance company seeing the item and try to recover their loss. I've never found a high value jewelry item, but I'd be inclined to keep it to myself...that is until my wife or daughters discover it, and they choose to keep it for themselves.

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5 hours ago, Johnny Phoenix said:

My concern there is an insurance company seeing the item and try to recover their loss...

Yes it's *possible* that someone insured a high-end ring , that included "loss or theft".  It's conceivably possible.   And if the owner lost it, and the insurance paid out, then yes :  This would mean that the insurance company now owns the ring.

 

But even if all these factors fell into place, it would mean that insurance companies are "trolling" our geeky md'ing forums.  Watching our show & tells.  Waiting to jump and say "That's ours".  

 

And for some reason, I highly doubt that insurance companies are reading our geeky niche forums, for something that was lost 5 or 10 or 20 yrs. ago.  Just doesn't seem likely.

 

About the only time I think the L&F laws could come into play, is if someone had micro-laser etched (invisible to the naked eye) some sort of insurer's mark on a diamond.  And then if the md'r went to try to hock the diamond, the *theoretically*, it could be traced ?   Again:  A highly unlikely set of events.

 

Does ANYONE know of some prior owner or insurer, jumping out of the bushes and saying : "That's mine " ? 

 

I see show & tell of nice rings (even very-high-end-rings) all the time, on beach hunt md'ing forums.   And don't ever recall any stories of someone claiming "That's mine"   Does anyone here recall such a thing ?

 

 

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If someone saw their $10,000 ring on a forum, the only thing they can legally do is ask for it back. I'm pretty sure the law can't force the finder to hand it over. There is no way to prove that he has the ring in his possession unless he willingly wants to show it to them.

 

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1 hour ago, Badger-NH said:

If someone saw their $10,000 ring on a forum, the only thing they can legally do is ask for it back. I'm pretty sure the law can't force the finder to hand it over. There is no way to prove that he has the ring in his possession unless he willingly wants to show it to them.

 

Actually, all 50 states have "lost & found" laws.  That evolved out of wandering cattle laws of the 1800s.  Typically stating something like :  If you find an Item worth $100  (or $250 or whatever) or more, that you are required to take it to the police station.  And if no one claims it after 30 days, then you are entitled to go back and get it.  And there might be storage or processing fees for you to pay if you want to claim the item.  Or the cost of them running a classified ad in the local paper, etc...  

 

And if they tell you "someone claimed the Rolex watch", they are under no obligation to tell you who claimed it (d/t privacy law concerns).  So ... you almost have to wonder if the Rolex watch might ... uh ... disappear in the bureaucracy of that desk, eh ? 🤔

 

And these laws are for good purpose.  So that you can't walk away with the mountain bike that you "found" leaning up against the park bench.  Or if a Brinks armored car crashes along the freeway, you are not welcome to "find" wads of cash.  

 

Thus:  Do they apply to the fumble fingers rings, watches, etc... that we md'rs find ?  (assuming they're over the value of the L&F law criteria) ?  SURE !   That's why all us guys that post show & tell, of our latest rings, are rushing down to police stations everywhere, turning them in.   Ok ?   🙄

 

 

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On 5/4/2022 at 12:49 PM, MSC said:

I tend to agree with you Cipher, tuff call sometimes, but these things would not be found if not for you or others in the same circumstances. Perhaps if something is of incredible historic value something could be worked out with a Museum or authorities.  Good luck with your finds. 

How about something like this?

 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-roman-sculpture-likely-looted-during-wwii-turns-up-at-texas-goodwill-180980045/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20220506-daily-responsive&spMailingID=46799444&spUserID=MTMxNjg2MzE5MzQ5NgS2&spJobID=2240685109&spReportId=MjI0MDY4NTEwOQS2 

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Theft by finding: an examination of Florida law

On Behalf of McIntosh Law | Jan 28, 2019 | Theft & Property Offenses

You’re walking down the beach at sunset, when all of the sudden you feel foot kick something hard. You look down and notice a pair of Rat-Ban sunglasses in pristine condition. You look around and, seeing no one to claim them, take them for yourself. Lucky you!

Unfortunately, in Florida, the rules of “finders keepers” don’t apply. Theft by finding is actually a crime.

The law

Florida law states that if find lost or abandoned property and take it for yourself, you could face criminal charges, fines and jail time:

  • If you take a low-value item (worth less than $300), you could face a petit theft charge—the penalty for which is 6–12 months in jail and $500–$1,000 in fines.
  • If you find and take a higher value item, this is considered grand theft. The punishment for this crime is up to five years in jail and as much as $5,000 in fines.

Reporting found items

If you find an item of value in a public space, you should turn it in to the police. The police will then take steps to track down its rightful owner. In South Florida, law enforcement agencies commonly post found items on propertyroom.com.

The cost of doing the right thing

Being a good Samaritan comes at a price, however. If you turn over a found item, you must pay for the police department’s costs of advertising and storing it. While this represents a financial inconvenience up front, it is only temporary. If the true owner claims the items within 90 days, they must pay you back for your expenses. If the true owner does not come forward within this timeframe, you may keep the found item yourself.

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On 5/6/2022 at 6:44 PM, Thegoldenone said:

The cost of doing the right thing

 

That is hilarious. What a joke. The whole theft by finding thing is a joke. How did that rule even find it's way into the books? It's impossible to enforce. I wouldn't be surprised if not a single case has been filed since the laws inception or a single thing returned where someone paid the fee to drop off a found item. Who would be foolish enough to do that?

 

 

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